Letting The Future In
by AnnieBooker
Summary: Little Daniel fic. SG1 visits a planet where the native population want something only Daniel can give them.
1. Chapter 1

Letting the Future In

By

AnnieB

**There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in.**

**Graham Green**

Colonel Jack O'Neill looked up into the bright alien sunshine and adjusted the brim of his cap to shelter him from the glare. "Nice day for a walk," he said, nodding towards the well-worn path that looked like it led from the dais he and his team had emerged onto, down into the village he could see below them.

"Indeed." Teal'c moved up to stand alongside him. The Jaffa looked relaxed but alert, his staff weapon held ready just in case this turned out not to be the walk in the park they were expecting.

Jack glanced back over his shoulder at the other two members of his team. Major Samantha Carter, military to the core, was checking her sidearm. She looked up at him and smiled. "It'd make for a nice change of pace from running for our lives," she said.

"That it would, Carter. Daniel, you with us here?" Jack asked as his archeologist riffled through the pockets of his tac vest. "Lost something?" he asked then grinned as Daniel held his sunglasses aloft with a triumphant smile.

"I knew they were here somewhere," Daniel said, stuffing back in place the Kleenex pack and sundry other items he'd pulled from his pockets during his search. "Let's go." He took off down the path at a fast clip and Jack shook his head then set off after him. "Easy, big fella," he said as he caught up with him, grabbing Daniel's arm to keep him at his side. "Me Colonel, Teal'c Jaffa, you archeologist, remember? Teal'c, take point. Carter, you've got our six. Daniel, you stay with me."

"It's not my first picnic, Jack," Daniel grouched but he kept pace with Jack though Jack could tell those long legs of his were just itching to break into a run.

Jack ignored him and kept walking, casting a look around every so often to be sure there were no unfriendlies waiting to take a pot shot at them.

They made it to the village relatively quickly without any of Jack's dark thoughts coming to fruition and Jack looked around as they stopped in the center of a large open square. It looked like some sort of marketplace with stalls set up all round the edges. About twenty people milled about the stalls, some buying, some selling.

A kid of about ten walked over to them and stood in front of Jack, seemingly unfazed by their sudden appearance and alien clothes.

"Hi," Jack said.

The boy reached a hand out and touched Jack's chest with his finger. "Who are you?" he asked.

Daniel stepped forward. "We're travelers," he said, going into his usual spiel about how they came from far away and in friendship.

Jack tuned him out. He'd heard the routine at least a hundred times before. He took a more careful recce of the place. It looked pretty non-threatening. No overt signs of Goa'uld activity nor any indications that these people might suddenly turn on them and decide to sacrifice them to whoever their god might be.

"Jack."

Jack turned to see they'd been joined by a wizened elderly man dressed in a long robe.

"This is Molnar," Daniel said. "He's the village elder and priest."

Jack inclined his head as Daniel introduced them all. "Nice place you have here," he said.

"Thank you," Molnar said absently, not taking his eyes from Daniel's face.

The man's intent gaze unsettled Jack and he stepped forward as Molnar reached a hand up to cup Daniel's cheek gently. Teal'c bristled as well but stayed where he was when Daniel simply smiled and made no attempt to move out of the man's hold. "It's okay," Daniel said and Jack stopped, though his gut continued to churn uneasily.

"You are Ancient," Molnar said and Jack just knew he wasn't talking about Daniel's age.

"No," Daniel said as Molnar moved his hand away.

"But you once were," Molnar insisted.

Daniel shrugged. "Not exactly. You know about the Ancients?"

"Of course. They came here once, on their travels. They promised to come back and teach us of Ascension so we too could rise above the toil and sorrow of this world and be as one with the Universe," Molnar said. "However, it has been many generations since their last visit and they have not returned," he added, his voice laden with clear regret.

"What made you think Daniel was an Ancient?" Carter asked.

Molnar smiled. "I have a gift," he said. "One passed down through generations of my family. I can see a person's soul."

Daniel grinned. "I think he means like an aura," he said. "You see colors surrounding people," he explained to Molnar who inclined his head in agreement.

"That is so. You have the same soul as the Ancients. My father told me of the beautiful colors that surrounded them, blue as the sky in summer." He gave Daniel a small smile. "You have ascended?" he asked. "And chose to return to live amongst your friends once more."

Daniel stayed silent and Jack could have kissed him for remembering that they didn't give away too much information on a first date with a new alien race.

"Will you speak to me of this?" Molnar asked and Daniel looked at Jack inquiringly.

"Maybe next time we visit," Jack said firmly. His spider senses were tingling and he'd already decided they were going to cut this visit short. It didn't look like these people had anything remotely technological to offer for trade and the way Molnar was looking at Daniel was creeping him out big time though Daniel seemed to be his usual oblivious self.

Molnar nodded even as he turned and gave Jack an assessing look through narrowed eyes. "Before you go, I have something the Ancients left us that I would like to share with you, Daniel," he said.

"Just with Daniel?" Jack asked.

"If he believes it has merit he can take it back with him so you may investigate it further," Molnar said. He turned back to Daniel. "Some say it is a time traveling device, others that it is the real source of our legends of the fountain of youth." He shrugged. "I have not been able to get it to work."

"Well, Sam's the expert on technology," Daniel said.

"Women are not allowed within the temple and only those men who have been touched by the Ancients may enter," Molnar said and Jack hid a smile as Carter bristled with indignation at that. "If you believe it is worthwhile you may bring it out to show it to them," he added placatingly.

"Jack?" Daniel looked at him pleadingly and Jack sighed, took off his cap and rubbed a hand through his hair. He was pretty sure Daniel was singlehandedly responsible for every one of the gray strands he now bore but he nodded reluctantly. "All right. Daniel can go with you and check out the gizmo but we'll be right outside the door," he warned.

"Of course." Molnar smiled beatifically and Jack wondered if he'd read the old geezer wrong after all.

"Look, I'm sorry," he said as he fell into step beside Molnar on the way to the temple, "no offence. It's just Daniel's something of a trouble magnet on legs."

Molnar seemed to understand the analogy well enough for he nodded. "And you wish no harm to come to him. He is important to you. Your friend, yes?"

"Yeah, that and a whole bunch of other things besides," Jack muttered. "He's given us a few scares in the past, that's all."

"I understand." Molnar turned at the door of the temple and bowed his head to Carter. "I apologize. I realize that on your world you obviously are considered an equal among your menfolk. But this is our way and has been for hundreds of years. I mean no disrespect to your skill."

"It's fine," Carter said with a faint smile. "Yours isn't the first world we've been to where the Women's Liberation Movement has yet to be heard from."

"Daniel…" Jack said quietly.

"I know. I'll be careful," Daniel replied, following Molnar eagerly through the heavy wooden doors. "I promise not to turn anything on."

"Don't even touch anything," Jack said, "until Carter's had a chance to check it out."

Daniel waved a hand in acknowledgment and Jack settled down with his back against the temple wall, while Teal'c took up a sentry-like position right in front of the doors.

Carter sat down next to Jack. "It could be something really important," she said. "I mean, a time travel device…" Her voice trailed off and Jack bumped his shoulder against hers.

"Don't get your hopes up, Carter. It could just as easily be a toaster the Ancients forgot to take with them when they left."

That at least got a grin out of her and Jack returned it, though the niggling worry in his gut remained. He was just about to dig into his backpack for an energy bar when a loud wailing cry cut through the air. Jack was on his feet in seconds, Carter with him as Teal'c turned from his position and ran toward them.

"Sounds like a kid," Carter said as they looked towards where the sound was coming from, the building Daniel had entered just moments before.

"Yeah, well, let's find out," Jack replied, unhooking his P90 from its clip on his tac vest. "Whoever it is sounds like they're not happy about something."

Carter and Teal'c both nodded and drew their zats then took up position at Jack's back as he headed towards the doorway.

Before they could enter the door flew open and Molnar stepped out, cradling something in his arms. "I don't understand," he called out. "The device did what we were told but he has no knowledge of ascension to give us." His words brought what seemed like the entire population of the village stampeding over and Jack dropped the barrel of his weapon and pushed his way through the throng to where Molnar stood.

In utter shock he stared at the bundle in Molnar's arms. Nestled amongst what Jack recognized as Daniel's BDUs and tshirt, was a small boy, about four years old. He had blond hair, large fear-filled blue eyes and the loudest cry Jack had ever heard in his life. "What the-" he began but Molnar handed the child over to him and said, "I promised you Daniel would not be physically harmed and he has not been."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Jack snapped, turning to thrust the child into Carter's arms. She fumbled with the howling boy and Teal'c took him instead, balancing the child with practiced ease against his broad chest. "Where's Daniel?"

"I have given him back to you," Molnar replied. "He is as he always was." He indicated the child in Teal'c's arms.

"If you're saying that's Daniel then I'd say he's nowhere near as he always was," Jack said angrily. "Carter, get in there and check out that device." He lifted his weapon and pointed it at Molnar's chest meaningfully but Molnar simply stepped back and allowed Carter to enter the building. "Oh, right, now the damage has been done, you'll let just anyone in!" Jack said sarcastically but he left his gun aimed where it was.

"He is still Daniel," Molnar said. "He now simply has the gift of renewed life."

"Yeah, well, maybe he liked his old life," Jack said, "so change him back."

"I cannot. The machine only reverts age, it is not possible to advance it."

"For what reason did you do this?" Teal'c asked, stepping forward.

The child had stopped howling and now he held his arms out to Jack, who took him instinctively. He burrowed his head into the crook of Jack's neck and Jack unconsciously rocked him back and forth.

"No Ancients before have been willing to impart this knowledge to us but we have long believed that if we could find an Ancient child, his mind would not be as guarded and he would be able to tell us that which we desire to know. "

"You couldn't find yourself an Ancient kid so you just waited, hoping an ancient would happen along that you could use this age reversion device on…" Jack was aware of the child stiffening in his arms as the tenor of Jack's voice rose and he soothed him with a pat to the back then lowered his voice. "You had no right," he whispered harshly.

"Indeed you did not." Teal'c had picked up his staff weapon from where he'd dropped it when he'd taken Daniel into his arms and Jack was somewhat satisfied to see a look of fear enter Molnar's eyes. "You must tell us how this may be reversed."

"I cannot. As I said, the machine only decreases one's years, there is no way to return them," Molnar replied nervously.

"How about we take you in there and use that machine on you," Jack snarled.

Molnar smiled faintly. "The device would not affect me. I am not an Ancient."

"Lucky you," Jack snapped. He looked over Molnar's shoulder as Carter stuck her head back out through the temple entrance. "Well?"

She shook her head ruefully. "No idea, sir. And there's some kind of force field in place that I can't take down. Daniel might have been able to translate the writing on the machine before but-"

"But right now he'd having trouble reading a fairy story," Jack said flatly. He canted a look down at the boy who looked back up at him, his wide blue eyes damp with tears but filled with something Jack thought might be trust. "You'll be okay, buddy," Jack said. He gave Molnar a warning look. "We're taking Daniel back with us. We will be returning. That device better still be there when we do."

Molnar nodded quickly. "If the child speaks at all of his time of ascension…"

"You won't hear about it from us," Jack replied firmly.

"Perhaps there is a reason the Ancients would not impart this knowledge to your people," Teal'c said as he turned away. "The fact you have tried to take this knowledge from our friend without his permission speaks to your lack of respect for the rights of others."

"In other words, the Ancients probably felt you wouldn't cut the mustard," Jack said sarcastically. He turned and led the way out of the village, motioning to Teal'c to pick up his and Daniel's packs on their way past where they'd left them.

They'd just entered the clearing where the gate was when Daniel sat up straight in Jack's arms. He smiled and pointed at the stargate. "Home," he said.

Jack swallowed and looked at Carter, who scrubbed a hand across her eyes. "Yeah, Daniel," he said, "let's go home."


	2. Chapter 2

Part Two

"Well," Dr. Janet Fraiser said as she ruffled little Daniel's hair and gave him an indulgent smile, "he's as healthy as Daniel was when he left here. Healthier even."

At Jack's raised eyebrows, she lifted Daniel's cut-down scrub top and pointed to a spot on his lower abdomen.

"No scar?" Jack said. "Does that mean-"

"CAT scan shows his appendix is intact and functioning normally," Fraiser said. She held up a hand as Jack started to speak. "I have no idea what that means. We're dealing with obviously highly advanced alien technology here and until Major Carter can get a look at the device, I wouldn't even hazard a guess as to why or how any of this happened. What I can tell you is that there are nanites in his system but I'm not confident enough of not doing him any damage to even attempt to mess with them."

"So, what do we do with him in the meantime?" Jack asked the room at large. He reached down and scooped Daniel into his arms when the little boy tugged on the edge of his shirt, studiously ignoring the "aw" looks Fraiser and Carter exchanged with each other.

"I guess we find him somewhere to live till this can be sorted out, Jack," General Hammond replied. He patted Daniel's shoulder gently. "Don't worry, son, we'll take care of you."

Daniel gave him an endearingly sweet smile then rested his head down on Jack's shoulder.

Jack shot a glance at Carter and Fraiser. "Enough with the 'aw' looks," he said but he couldn't help smiling back at her when she grinned widely at him.

"Sorry, sir, but you're both just so darn cute together. I mean, he is. Daniel is. Not you, sir. Cute you're not," Carter stammered.

"I've been cute," Jack retorted. "Not since first grade but believe me, the cuteness was there. That was before the grey hair that I started getting the minute I met Daniel."

Daniel sat up in Jack's arms at the mention of his name and smiled broadly at him. "Jack," he said, patting Jack's cheek with his small hand.

"Do you think he remembered that?" Jack asked.

Fraiser shrugged. "Maybe. Or maybe he just heard the general call you that. Sorry, sir, no way to tell right now. I mean, apart from saying your name and the fact you said he seemed to know the stargate meant he was coming home, he's showed no signs of recognizing anyone else here."

Jack pointed at Carter. "Who's that, Daniel?" he asked.

Daniel's only response was a wide smile and Jack was sorry he'd singled her out when he saw the tinge of disappointment in her expression. "Don't worry about it, Carter. If he does remember me, it's only because we argued so damn much that he can't forget me." He put Daniel back on the bed. "So, where's he staying?"

"I have Major Collins and his wife coming to pick him up in an hour or so. They're experienced foster parents and have enough security clearance to take him for now," Hammond replied.

"Good, that's good. Collins is a good man," Jack said, pushing away that un-nameable feeling that kept nagging at him. He gave Daniel's hair a quick ruffle. "See you soon, Danny boy," he said, turning to leave. He was brought up short by a small hand anchoring onto his shirt and the loudest cry he'd ever heard. Turning back to the bed, he picked Daniel up again. "Hey, buddy, I have to go to work and you have to stay here with the doc, okay. Some nice people are coming to get you soon. They'll have cool stuff at their house for you to play with."

Daniel shook his head furiously and latched onto Jack's neck with a ferocious grip.

"Sir, why don't you take him to your office for now," Fraiser said. "Who knows, maybe it'll trigger a memory or two. I'll call you when the Collinses get here."

Jack sighed, wondering if that might not just be extending the trauma for Daniel but he gave the boy a gentle jiggle. "Look at me," he said firmly, waiting till Dan

El lifted his head before going on. "You can come visit with me for a while but not until you stop crying and ease up on that stranglehold on my neck." He wasn't sure if Daniel understood all he was saying but the arms around his neck loosened measurably and the tears stopped. "Okay. Doc, call me, all right?"

He headed out into the hallway and straight for the elevator. A couple of airmen passed by and cast sidelong glances at them but Jack just nodded at them and kept going till he and Daniel were inside the elevator car and heading down to the level his office was on. He grinned to himself. He did have an office but he rarely used it, mostly just as a place to park the paperwork he wanted to avoid doing. He opened the door when they reached it, stood back and ushered Daniel through. "Go ahead, take a look around," he suggested.

Daniel wandered around the room, stopping to finger the paperweight on Jack's desk and spin the chair round. He picked up the team photo on the desk and Jack walked across and stood behind him, watching as Daniel traced the faces with his finger. "That's you," he said after a moment, tipping his head back to look up at Jack shyly.

"Yep, and that's Sam and Teal'c." Jack pointed them out then left his finger hovering over Daniel's image, not sure what to say.

"Who's that?" Daniel asked, solving the conundrum for him and answering the question about his memory.

"That's our friend," Jack replied easily, sitting down in the chair and pulling Daniel onto his lap. "His name is Daniel too."

"Where is he?" Daniel asked, putting the photo down and leaning forward over it, chin on his cupped hands.

"He's not here right now. He's kind of lost but we're looking for him."

"I could be your friend till you find him," Daniel said.

"Sure. You've got friends too, you know – me and Sam and Teal'c, the General and Doc Fraiser."

"Then why do you want me to go away? Those other people aren't my friends, are they?"

Jack puzzled over the best way to answer that, more than a little perplexed over the almost adult turn of phrase coming from the child. Then again, he decided, language had always been Daniel's forte. No reason why that would be any different just because he'd been downsized. Jack was pretty sure his friend had probably been precocious and a prodigious talker the first time he was a kid. Finally he turned the boy so he could look into his eyes. "We're sending you to be with the Collinses because we all have to work."

"Looking for the other Daniel?"

"Yes, and the Collinses may not be your friends yet because you don't know them yet but they will be. I promise you, Daniel, you're going to be just fine and I'll come visit. So will Teal'c and Sam."

His phone rang and Jack scooped it up, listened then hung it up. "They're here," he said, standing up and letting Daniel slide down his legs to the floor.

Daniel looked up at him, his lower lip trembling and Jack braced himself for another round of crying but to his surprise, Daniel firmed his chin, took Jack's hand and let him lead him out of the room.

~oOo~

"Sir?" Jack looked across the briefing room table at Carter. "You okay, sir?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"He looked so lost when he left," Carter said.

There wasn't any mistaking who she was talking about so Jack just shrugged. "He's a kid now. Kids are resilient. He'll be fine."

"I thought you might, you know, take him home with you," Carter went on, apparently oblivious to the hole each word she was saying was digging in Jack's already guilt-ridden heart.

"I kind of have responsibilities here, Major," Jack replied, twiddling with his pen as a way to avoid actually looking her in the eyes. "No time for parenting four year olds." _And I've already done that once and didn't exactly perform in an exemplary fashion_, he said to himself.

"Right, of course, sir." Carter turned around in her seat as General Hammond and Dr. Fraiser entered the room, Teal'c at their heels.

"Well, now we're all here," Hammond said and Jack studiously avoided looking at the place where Daniel habitually sat, "let's work out what, if anything, we can do about Dr. Jackson's unfortunate incident."

"I'd like to go back to the planet, sir," Carter said. "Take Dr. Lee with me and work on getting that forcefield down at least. Molnar obviously knows how to do it as he would have had to take it down to use the device on Daniel so maybe Teal'c could come along as well, provide a little persuasion."

Teal'c smiled from the teeth out and Jack shivered a little. He really didn't envy Molnar if the old geezer still refused to cooperate.

"Very well," Hammond said. "You have a go. Colonel, are you all right?"

"What?" Jack dropped the pen onto the table and looked up. "I'm fine, sir. Why does everyone keep asking me that? I'm still the same size and age I was when we set off on that damned mission so I'm fine." He stopped, took a breath then looked at Fraiser. "He was talking almost like a miniature version of himself," he told her. "None of Daniel's memories that I could tell but it was as if…" He trailed off, unsure how to explain what he meant.

"I think it's possible that his intellect is completely intact and that even emotionally he's reacting more on an adult level than that of a typical four year old," Fraiser said.

"Apart from the crying and stuff, you mean?" Jack put in.

"Well, yes, but I think that there may be times when his adult control will slip and let the child through," Fraiser replied. "I'm sorry, Colonel, we just don't know enough at this stage to know exactly what's going on his head… Or his heart for that matter. I do think you should stay in close contact with him, visit him as often as you can, ease the transition for him with his foster parents."

"We can manage without you on the return mission," Carter said.

"Go ahead and hurt an old Colonel's feelings," Jack said but he grinned at her. "Okay, fine, off you go. Play with your doohickeys and let Teal'c have some fun scaring Molnar. _And come back with answers, _he added silently. _Never thought I'd say this but I miss Daniel already._

"Yes, sir." Carter stood up and saluted the General then followed Teal'c out of the room.

~oOo~

He'd visit Daniel tomorrow, Jack told himself. It'd be just as well to wait till they had a preliminary report from Carter before doing that. After all, with luck, hed be going there to get Daniel and take him back to the planet where he'd be turned back into his old self and all this would just be something they'd laugh about in years to come. He told himself that more than once as he settled himself down on the sofa at home with a six pack and a pizza. He'd just opened the first beer when his phone rang. Sighing, he picked it up. "Okay," he replied in response to the voice at the other end. "I'll be right there." He cast a longing look at the six pack, grabbed up a slice of pizza and his keys and headed for the Collins house.

~oOo~

"He hasn't been any trouble," Melinda Collins hastened to say as she let him in the front door. "He just seems so sad, depressed almost though I know that seems an odd thing to say about a little boy. Jeff thought it might help him if he saw you for a little while."

Jack nodded at Jeff then made his way through to the living room and stood in the doorway, just watching for a moment.

Daniel was sitting in the window seat, his gaze focused on the dark night outside. Jack walked across and sat next to him. "Hey, buddy," he said.

"Hi," Daniel replied. He looked at Jack for a moment then turned his gaze toward the window again.

If Jack had been expecting an exuberant reunion, this wasn't it. "You okay?" he ventured.

"Yes."

Jack sighed and pulled him onto his lap where Daniel sat stiffly, small hands twisting in his lap. He clamped his teeth onto his shaky bottom lip and Jack winced. "Don't do that," he said softly. "You'll hurt your mouth."

The small teeth clenched more tightly as a small sob escaped the boy's mouth. Jack tightened his hold around him and rocked him back and forth. It wasn't like the kid had never been through something like this before, he told himself firmly. There'd been many a maudlin drunken confession after a bad mission when he and Daniel had spoken about their pasts. Daniel had said many times that he'd pretty much grown up in foster homes, moving from one to another, never really feeling as if he fit in…

"Damn," Jack whispered. He stood up, taking Daniel with him and set him astride his hip. "Say thank you to Jeff and Melinda," he said as he walked past them.

"Thank you," Daniel parroted obediently.

"Could you get his things together for me?" Jack asked at Melinda's questioning look. "I'm taking him home with me."


End file.
